Halo Infinite Season 2 delivers dozens of big changes

Halo Infinite screenshot
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

If you’ve been waiting with bated breath for new Halo Infinite content, then you’re about to have a banner week. On May 3, Microsoft released the Halo Infinite Season 2 update, which seems like the most substantial addition to Halo Infinite since the single-player campaign launched back in December.

To download the Season 2 patch for yourself, all you have to do is boot up your Xbox or PC, then launch the game. (You may not even have to do that much, as most systems will automatically download patches for active games in your library.) Just be aware that the Halo Infinite Season 2 patch is large — approximately 17 GB on Xbox, and between 12 GB and 18 GB on PC.

As for what the Season 2 patch adds and fixes, it would be impossible to describe it all in a short article. The official Halo Waypoint website has a comprehensive list of patch notes — and we really do mean “comprehensive.” Copied and pasted into Microsoft Word, the patch notes comprise more than 7,000 words and 30 pages of content. You may be better off simply downloading the patch and exploring the game for yourself.

Briefly, though, the biggest addition to Halo Infinite is the launch of a whole new multiplayer season. This means players will have a new Battle Pass to complete, with 100 tiers and “up to 180 rewards.” Players can buy a Premium Battle Pass, or complete free tiers as they play through more multiplayer matches. Either way, they’ll get new cosmetic armor, as well as a new story cinematic.

The narrative multiplayer options continue in the “Lone Wolves Narrative Events.” The first event, “Interference,” is already live, and will run until May 15. The second, “Alpha Pack,” will begin on July 19 and run until August 1. You can earn limited-time items by completing event-specific challenges.

Halo Infinite Season 2 also adds new multiplayer modes. There’s Last Spartan Standing, which limits the number of player respawns. You’ll also find King of the Hill (multiplayer veterans should know what this mode entails by now) and Land Grab, which is essentially King of the Hill spread across multiple capturable locations.

The update also rebalances melee and weapon damage, ammo levels, consumable items and vehicles. The exact minutiae will probably only matter to hardcore Halo Infinite competitors, but it should help make multiplayer matches feel a little more balanced. Likewise, the new patch addresses bugs in both the Xbox and PC versions of the game.

As an ongoing multiplayer title, Halo Infinite will definitely get more content over the next few months. We just wonder when the next big single-player update will arrive.

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Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.